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Jade Stone Colors

Nephrite, also known as jade, greenstone or pounamu, is a mineral found in many countries, including China, the Swiss Alps, New Zealand, Russia, Guatemala and New Zealand; it is often used in jewelry. In New Zealand, jade has historically been the most important item of trade among the Maori people. Some jade items in particular were considered so precious that they conferred considerable status to their owners. Because of the great importance of the mineral in their society, the Maori people make distinctions between many different types of nephrite on the basis of its appearance and origin.

Inanga
- Inanga shares the same greyish iridescence of the small, pale whitebait fish.
  
  Inanga is a pale greyish-green form of nephrite. The word "inanga" refers to a small, grey fish known as whitebait. Inanga is a particularly pure form of jade, lacking impurities that provide streaks, spots or discoloration. It is a fine-textured jade and is usually much more translucent than other varieties.
Kahurangi
- Kahurangi, or kikorangi, is an extremely translucent form of jade. It is a light and fair green with yet lighter striations within it that resemble clouds. For a variety to be considered kahurangi, it must be totally free of any spots, defects or impurities. Consequently, it is one of the rarest of all varieties of jade and is highly prized.
Marsden Flower Jade
- This piece highlights the typical pale, translucent character of Marsden flower jade.
  
  Marsden flower jade is only found in the glaciated Westland district of New Zealand along a tectonic boundary. It is a particularly fine and unusually marked jade, notable for its beautiful yellow, white and orange fleck and intrusions. These colors can take the form of billowing clouds or waves on the surface of the finished stone. Marsden flower jade is typically paler than other jade varieties.
Tangiwai
- Tangiwai, or teardrop, is one of the most beautiful and precious of all of the varieties of jade. It is found almost exclusively at the mouth of the Piopiotahi fjord. In legend, it is said to represent the petrified tears of a woman stolen from her husband by a sea creature. The stone is thought to represent a deep sorrow that never truly heals. Tangiwai is either a deep-sea blue or olive green and is as transparent as glass.

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